Update, 7:55 a.m.: Holyoke Fire Captain Anthony Cerruti said fire investigators from Holyoke Fire Department and the state Fire Marshal's Office will investigate the cause of the early morning fire that heavily damaged the Elm and Dwight streets block. Cerruti said the fire appeared to start on the fourth floor porch area of the building, but since there are no fire detectors on the porches, the blaze was able to get a head start on firefighters. Fire extended from the wooden porches under the sheathing of the roof, Cerruti said.

Two firefighters were taken from the scene by EMTs. One firefighter injured his ankle as he fought the blaze, and the other suffered from exhaustion.

All utilities to the building have been cut off and none of the apartment at this time are habitable. Cerruti said the Dwight Street side of the block will probably not be habitable, while the Elm Street side is repairable.

The Red Cross is setting up a shelter for residents displaced by the fire, Cerruti said. Red Cross Executive Director Mary Nathan is working with the Fire Department to provide services for residents at the War Memorial building near the fire scene.

HOLYOKE — Fire erupted in a large apartment building at the intersection of Elm and Dwight streets in Holyoke early Monday morning, driving several hundred people from their homes into the early morning chill. The entire block numbered 692 to 694 on the Dwight Street side and 115 to 119 on the Elm Street side was involved.

Many of the downtown streets are being blocked off to accommodate growing numbers of fire apparatus as it arrives from across Western Mass. Many of the approached to the fire are being blocked to vehicular traffic. to allow unimpeded access to the area by incoming fire units. Anyone driving to Holyoke should be aware that many city streets are impassable.

Initially the incident was reported as a porch fire at approximately 4 a.m. But first responding Holyoke firefighters reported nearly the entire fourth floor rear porch area was fully engulfed in flames.

Firefighters attacked the rear of 115 to 119 Elm Street where the entire fourth floor porch area was fully engulfed in flames and fire extended into the roof of the building.Dave Canton,Republican

Angelica Ramos lived on the fourth floor of the building. She was awoken by an internal fire alarm. She said she went into her kitchen and it was filled with light from the flames outside the window. Asked how much of the porch was burning she said, in Spanish, "Todo," all of it.

Holyoke firefighters had two aerial ladders pouring water onto the roof area of the building as smoke poured from under the exterior sheathing. At approximately 4:30 a.m. handlines from area hydrants had been connected and groups of firefighters began interior attacks on the flames, now visible through fourth floor windows, making their way up stairwells.

Flames were visible through fourth floor windows, and just erupted through the roof sheathing as dense clouds of smoke billowed from the Dwight Street side of the block.Dave Canton,Republican

Travelers on I-91 were able to see a dense, black smoke trail over the downtown area of Holyoke as fire broke through the roof at approximately 5 a.m. Dense grey billows of smoke erupted from the building showing an orange glow of reflected flames.

Groups of residents gathered on the street outside the building, looking to make sure their closest neighbors made it out of the building.

Nancy Suarez and her daughter Maria Nieves said they ran out of the building when they heard the building fire alarms going off. Others were roused from sleep by police sirens and air horns on fire trucks creating a racket throughout the neighborhood. Holyoke residents as far away as High Street were shaken from sleep. The intense sounds set up by vehicles made sure everyone was evacuated from the building.

Holyoke fire officials have not given a formal number of how many people are being left homeless by the fire, but residents living in the building estimate at least 200 people called the block their home.